In this work, Wagner tells us a love story that covers many aspects of our lives, finding a place for fantasy to come into contact with reality.

The first act begins with King Henry the Birdcatcher gathering his knights on the river bank and asking them for help. Afterwards, Count Friedrich Telmarund demands justice. The fact is that the dying Count of Brabat gave him two of his children Elsa and Gottfried to raise.

However, after some time, little Gottfried disappeared, for which Elsa was later blamed. After she was brought before the king, she says that a knight came to her in a dream, promising to protect her. Listening to her sweet speeches, the king does not believe her, after which Frederick declares that he is ready to fight in a duel with anyone who tries to protect Elsa.

Time passes, but no one has volunteered. Frederick was thinking about an easy victory, but then a boat sailed along the river, driven by a knight and urged on by a swan. After which the knight comes down and introduces himself as Lohengrin, saying that he is ready to protect Elsa and even take her as his wife, provided that she never asks the name of her savior. After which Elsa swears eternal fidelity, and then there is a duel, in which Lohengrin wins, saving Frederick’s life, after which he goes into exile. He decides to leave at night, but first speaks with his wife, whom he reproaches for false accusations against Elsa, and in response she promises to take revenge on her and asks him for help. He agrees and together they come up with a plan.

Afterwards, in the second act, Elsa is tormented by doubts, and she wants to find out the name of Lohengrin. Friedrich’s wife Ortrud also pushes her on, making her feel embarrassed about her husband. After which Elsa feels out of place. Then, left alone with Lohengrin, she tries to find out his name, after which Friedrich bursts in with the soldiers, but Lohengrin kills him.

Afterwards, they again go to the river bank, where Lohengrin tells who he is and gives her her brother, who was turned into a swan by witchcraft. Lohengrin then leaves them.

In this work, the author tries to emphasize the importance of trust in your loved ones and loved ones, talking about the necessary steadfastness of the feelings of partners. Elsa was deprived of this steadfastness by evil tongues, which is why she lost her lover. I believe that this is what Wagner was trying to convey through his work.

Picture or drawing Wagner - Lohengrin

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Lohengrin

Summary of the myth

Lohengrin is a German knight who appears in the Arthurian epics.

The son of Parzival (Percival), he is a knight of the Holy Grail, sent in a boat pulled by swans to rescue the maiden, who must never ask about his origins. His story is a version of the legend of the Knight of the Swan.

Justice has been violated, and beautiful Elsa may suffer. The unambitious knight swore on his sword that she was promised to him as a wife after the death of her father, although it was a lie. Her offender triumphs, because according to the rules he can be punished only if there is a knight ready to stand up for the lady’s honor and defeat him in battle. And this is unlikely to happen: everyone in the area knows the strength of the offender and his ability to wield a sword. In vain Elsa begs all her late father's vassals to help her. However, the tournament is appointed, but no one dares to protect Elsa: this promises certain death. And at that moment, when hope is almost lost, the spectators gathered for the tournament suddenly hear a mysterious melodic ringing. Turning to the river, they see a beautiful swan pulling a boat along the river. A handsome young man is sleeping in a boat.

He wakes up, goes ashore and answers all questions only that justice has been violated here, and he must restore it by fighting Elsa’s offender. Despite the excuses, the young man challenges the offender to a fight and defeats him.

The love that arises between him and Elsa leads to a widely celebrated wedding and a decision to stay. The only condition that the mysterious savior sets for Elsa is that she must never ask about his name and origin. At first this is not an obstacle, but evil tongues fuel her curiosity, and soon Elsa cannot stand it and asks her husband to explain everything.

And then he says that his name is Lohengrin, that he is the son of Parzival and is a member of the brotherhood of King Arthur, which did not disappear, but simply retired to places inaccessible to others. From year to year, noble knights observe what is happening on earth. And if the basic laws of goodness and justice are violated somewhere, they send their messenger, who must restore order at all costs.

Lohengrin was one of these messengers. But, according to the rules, he could remain in the world only as long as his name and origin were unknown. And so now Lohengrin must go back. The ringing of bells is heard from the river, a swan appears, takes Lohengrin and takes him upstream.

Images and symbols of myth

The Lohengrin myth creates images of justice, honor and destiny. Lohengrin speaks on behalf of the Knights of the Holy Grail, the personification of not only justice and purity, but also the most honest and noble people on earth.

The main symbol of Lohengrin is the White Swan. Firstly, for humans, swans personify beauty and romance, which is caused by their grace and belonging to several elements: water and sky. The white swan is a symbol of purity and innocence, which is very fragile, since this bird has always been the object of hunting for its valuable fluff.

The sword is the main weapon of a knight. Sword - This is one of the universal and very ancient symbols of humanity. Both legendary and real swords have been deeply revered at all times. The meeting of warrior and sword was not accidental. Never have sacred weapons given themselves into unworthy, unclean hands. Durendal of Roland, Joyeuse of Charlemagne, Excalibur of the legendary King Arthur - they never failed the warriors who marched towards danger. They swore on such weapons. God's judgment was carried out with such weapons. On the eve of a battle, Western European knights stuck their swords with cross-shaped handles into the ground and knelt before them in prayer. In the Middle Ages, sacred relics were often placed in the hilt of a sword. A warrior who swore an oath at such a shrine and broke his word was no longer just an oathbreaker - he committed sacrilege.

The sword is a symbol of the immediate translation of words and thoughts into action. By receiving the right to carry a sword, the knight assumed the obligation to always follow his duty. The sword is the soul of a warrior. The ability to give before taking, to provide help before asking for it, the ability not to retreat from difficulties, but to be the first to overcome them.

The shield is a symbol of protection. It is the basis of any coat of arms.

Gold (golden boat) is an image of light. Gold is not associated with any light, but with the light of the sun. According to Christian symbolism, gold is the Divine color. The common denominator of the symbolism of gold and the symbolism of the Sun is the ancient idea of ​​a righteous king or messiah, bringing to his subjects a “golden age”, or, what is the same, the “kingdom of the Sun”. In the legend of Lohengrin, the golden color also indicates nobility and nobility of origin.

The Holy Grail is a mysterious Christian artifact from medieval Western European legends, found and lost. The words "Holy Grail" are often used figuratively to denote some cherished goal, often unattainable or difficult to achieve.

Communicative means of creating images and symbols

German and French epics glorifying the Swan Knight served to form a positive attitude towards Lohengrin and perpetuate his image. The most famous responses to the legend of Lohengrin are:

Richard Wagner's opera "Lohengrin". The composer's initial idea for an opera based on the tale of Lohengrin arose in 1841. The legend of a noble knight of magical power and wondrous beauty has long existed in various versions among the peoples of the northern coast of Western Europe. The composer chose the most poetic option and tried, as he himself said, “to free these myths from the contradictory influences of Christian thought and restore in them the eternal poem of pure humanity...”

Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, erected in honor of the knights of the German epic and Lohengrin in particular, was the embodiment of the dream of Ludwig II of Bavaria (1845-1886). One and a half kilometers from Hohenschwangau, Ludwig saw a rock on which stood a destroyed watchtower. This rock, he decided, would serve as the construction site for Neuschwanstein, his “new home with the swan.” The walls of the halls are decorated with paintings and engravings dedicated to the Swan Knight. Later, Ludwig added stories to the halls about his father Parsifal, the search for the Holy Grail, and the Knights of the Round Table.

Mentions of Lohengrin can also be found in many sources: in Wolfram von Eschenbach’s epic “Parsifal” (since Lohengrin is the son of Parsifal), in the German tales of the Brothers Grimm, in the medieval novel about the Swan Knight, etc.

Social significance of the myth

“The myth of Lohengrin, in its simplest features and deep meaning, as a true creation of folk fantasy, grew before me from the latest research into the folk epic,” wrote Wagner.

The Legend of Lohengrin touches on the theme of “pure humanity,” faith and fulfilling one’s destiny. Such things have worried people at absolutely all times and all over the world. Modern man yearns for lost myths, so he continues to look in myths for answers to his questions, new interpretations, debunkings. This is the foundation of human thinking. Myth is the birth of the idea of ​​an ideal world order in the past.

Why is the legend of Lohengrin important to us? - Because it talks about human kindness, the power of faith, nobility, all the key concepts necessary to understand and explain the world around us, society. The legend shows the rules by which interaction between people occurs: are you pure in heart and thoughts and do you need help? - you will get it. If you let doubts take control of you and violate your faith in the very purity and innocence, well, you are already losing much more than just help.

These are the foundations and laws of human communication. In legends, as a rule, they appear in the simplest and most understandable light. Lohengrin represented a certain law, and by breaking it, Elsa lost Lohengrin. There is another very important image in the legend - the society of the Knights of the Holy Grail, which appears as a certain force that is ready to help those in need. Faith in the existence of such a force, even in our information and technological age, helps people in difficult moments of life.

R. Wagner "Lohengrin"

Opera in three acts

Libretto by R. Wagner

The opera "Lohengrin" is the second work of the composer, who by this time had already created the first masterpiece of musical drama - the opera "Tannhäuser". In the 40s, Wagner actively studied medieval legends, French legends and German myths. In the summer of 1845 in Carlsbad, Wagner made the first sketch of Lohengrin. The composer's attention was attracted by the image of a knight with a swan. There are many versions of the legend, which tells that a handsome and virtuous stranger comes to people from somewhere. He captivates everyone with his irresistible charm, but if people try to find out the secret of his appearance, he disappears. Wagner gives his interpretation of this legend: “Lohengrin was looking for a woman who would believe in him, would not ask who he was, but would love him as he is without any conditions... He would like to free himself through brotherly love and love-passion from loneliness, that’s why he strove for a woman - for a human heart. But he cannot free himself from his true nature; he is doomed to bear the stamp of the miraculous. He arouses envy, and even in the heart of a loving woman doubts and jealousy are born. Lohengrin does not achieve perfect understanding, is forced to confess his divine essence and return to his lonely abode. Wagner introduces into the content of the folk legend the problem of the individual, the problem of the creator. Wagner takes two years to develop the libretto, then a whole year to write the score. The production had to wait another three years. It was only at the insistence of F. Liszt that Lohengrin was staged in Weimar in 1850.

Absolutely all musical and dramatic means were used to create the drama. The complexity of the score and the fantastic variety of the orchestra are amazing. The singers were not allowed to show off a virtuoso aria - in Wagner’s music everything is woven together: both the voice and the orchestra.

Plot:

The action takes place in Antwerp, in a castle on the banks of the Scheldt River, in the first half of the 10th century.

On the ancient land of Brabant, the German king Henry I the Birdcatcher greets the local nobility. The king is going on a campaign against the Hungarians and he needs the knights of Brabant. In Brabant itself there is strife. The old Duke recently died and left two children: Elsa and little Gottfried. Count Friedrich Telramund became his guardian, and Elsa was appointed his wife. But Telramund confronts the king with an accusation: Elsa walked with her brother and killed him. Therefore, he, Telramund, took Ortrud, the daughter of the Frisian Duke, as his wife, and now demands power over Brabant.

Elsa is brought in, shocked by this accusation. She answers the king's questions that she agrees to appear before God's court according to custom. Let the knight's sword decide whether she is guilty. In a dream, she saw a knight in shining armor and hopes for his protection. The herald challenges the opponents to a duel. Two calls remain unanswered. Elsa falls to her knees and prays. But then the crowd gets excited: a boat drawn by a swan is approaching along the waters of the Scheldt, and in it stands a radiant knight clad in silver armor. He says he came to protect the innocent. The knight asks Elsa to become his wife if he emerges victorious, and with deep seriousness warns her that she must not ask him who he is or where he came from. Elsa swears.

The duel between Lohengrin and Telramund is very short. Lohengrin defeats the enemy and leaves him alive. Knights honor the winner. Ortrud and Telramund are making insidious plans for revenge.

The royal herald informs everyone of Telramund's expulsion. An unknown knight marries Elsa and receives the Brabant throne. A glittering wedding procession enters the stage. The young people enter the temple to the sound of the organ.

Lohengrin and Elsa in marital peace. She demands that Lohengrin reveal himself to her. The fatal question was asked. At this moment Telramund and the knights burst into the bedroom.

Lohengrin kills him with one blow.

The sun rises over the Scheldt. The king is again on the judge's throne under the ancient oak tree. Elsa and Lohengrin arrive, the servants bring in Telramund's body. Lohengrin says that he killed him in self-defense. Elsa broke her oath and now Lohengrin announces to everyone that he is the messenger of the Grail and is called upon to protect all the innocent. From the Grail (divine kingdom) he received miraculous power, but it only works when no one knows his name and origin. If he identifies himself, he must return to his homeland. His name is Lohengrin, he is the son of King Parsifal.

A boat drawn by a swan approaches. Then Ortrud appears and declares that the swan is Gottfried, Elsa’s brother, whom she, Ortrud, bewitched. Lohengrin kneels and prays. As a sign that the prayer has been heard, a dove flies from heaven. The swan turns into Gottfried, Ortrud falls dead, Elsa, overcome with grief, falls to the ground.

The boat with Lohengrin quickly glides along the waters of the river, attracted by a dove, a messenger from heaven.

LOHENGRIN

Romantic opera in three acts (four scenes)

Characters:

Counts, knights, ladies, pages, servants, people.

The action takes place in Antwerp in the first half X century.

HISTORY OF CREATION

Wagner became acquainted with the legend of Lohengrin in 1841, but only in 1845 did he sketch the text. The following year, work on music began.

A year later, the opera was completed in clavier, and in March 1848 the score was ready. The premiere scheduled for Dresden did not take place due to revolutionary events. The production was carried out thanks to the efforts of F. Liszt and under his direction two years later, on August 28, 1850 in Weimar. Wagner saw his opera on stage only eleven years after its premiere.

The plot of Lohengrin is based on various folk tales, freely interpreted by Wagner. In coastal countries, among peoples living along the banks of large rivers, poetic legends about a knight sailing in a boat drawn by a swan are common. He appears at the moment when a girl or widow, abandoned and persecuted by everyone, is in mortal danger. The knight frees the girl from her enemies and marries her. They live happily for many years, but the swan unexpectedly returns, and the stranger disappears as mysteriously as he appeared. Often, “swan” legends were intertwined with tales of the Holy Grail. The unknown knight then turned out to be the son of Parsifal - the king of the Grail, who united around himself heroes who guard a mysterious treasure that gives them miraculous power in the fight against evil and injustice. Sometimes legendary events were transferred to a certain historical era - to the reign of Henry I Bird catcher (919-936).

The legends of Lohengrin inspired many medieval poets, one of them was Wolfram Eschenbach, whom Wagner brought out in his Tannhäuser.

According to Wagner himself, the Christian motives of the Lohengrin legend were alien to him. The composer saw in her the embodiment of the eternal human aspirations for happiness and sincere, selfless love. The tragic loneliness of Lohengrin reminded the composer of his own fate - the fate of an artist who brings to people the high ideals of truth and beauty, but is met with misunderstanding, envy and malice.

And in other heroes of Wagner’s tales, living human traits were attracted. Elsa, saved by Lohengrin, with her naive, simple soul, seemed to the composer the embodiment of the elemental power of the people's spirit. She is contrasted with the figure of the evil and vindictive Ortrud - the personification of everything inert and reactionary. In individual remarks of the characters, in side episodes of the opera, the breath of the era when Lohengrin was created is felt: in the king’s calls for unity, in Lohengrin’s readiness to defend his homeland and his faith in the coming victory, echoes of the hopes and aspirations of the progressive people of Germany of the 1840s are heard . This interpretation of ancient tales is typical of Wagner. For him, myths and legends were the embodiment of deep and eternal folk wisdom, in which the composer sought the answer to the questions that troubled him today.

MUSIC

"Lohengrin" is one of Wagner's most complete and perfect operas. It reveals with great completeness the rich spiritual world and complex experiences of the characters. The opera vividly depicts a sharp, irreconcilable clash between the forces of good and truth, embodied in the images of Lohengrin, Elsa, the people, and the dark forces personified by the gloomy figures of Friedrich and Ortrud. The opera's music is distinguished by its rare poetry and sublime, spiritual lyricism.

This is already evident in the orchestral introduction, where in the transparent sound of the violins a vision of the beautiful kingdom of the Grail arises - the land of an impossible dream.

In the first act, the free alternation of solo and choral siennas is permeated with continuously increasing dramatic tension. Elsa’s story “I remember how I prayed, with a deeply grieving soul” conveys the fragile, pure nature of the dreamy, enthusiastic heroine. The chivalrous image of Lohengrin is revealed in the solemnly sublime farewell to the swan “Swim back, O my swan.” The quintet with the choir captures the concentrated thought that gripped those present. The act ends with a large ensemble, in the joyful jubilation of which the angry remarks of Friedrich and Ortrud are drowned.

The second act is full of sharp contrasts. Its beginning is shrouded in ominous darkness, an atmosphere of evil intrigues, which is opposed by the bright characteristics of Elsa. In the second half of the act there is a lot of bright sunlight and movement. Everyday scenes - the awakening of the castle, warlike choirs of knights, a solemn wedding procession - serve as a colorful backdrop for the dramatic clash between Elsa and Ortrud. Elsa’s small arioso “O light-winged wind” is warmed with joyful hope and trembling expectation of happiness. The subsequent dialogue emphasizes the dissimilarity of the heroines: Ortrud’s appeal to the pagan gods has a passionate, pathetic character, Elsa’s speech is permeated with cordiality and warmth. The extensive ensemble scene of the argument between Ortrud and Elsa at the cathedral - Ortrud's malicious slander and Elsa's hot, excited speech - impresses with its dynamic changes of mood. A large build-up leads to a powerful quintet with choir.

The third act contains two scenes. The first is entirely devoted to the psychological drama of Elsa and Lohengrin. In the center is her love duet. In the second, crowd scenes occupy a large place. A brilliant orchestral intermission introduces the lively atmosphere of a wedding feast with warlike shouts, the clash of weapons and simple-minded chants. The “Joyful Day” wedding choir is filled with jubilation. The dialogue between Lohengrin and Elsa “The tender heart burns with a wonderful fire” is one of the best episodes of the opera; wide flexible lyrical melodies with amazing depth convey the change of feelings - from the intoxication of happiness to collision and disaster.

The second scene opens with a colorful orchestral intermezzo built on a roll call of trumpets. In Lohengrin’s story “In a foreign land, in a distant mountain kingdom,” a transparent melody paints a majestic, bright image of the messenger of the Grail. This characterization is complemented by the dramatic farewell “Oh my swan” and the mournful, impetuous address to Elsa.

The action takes place in a duel in which Lohengrin defeats Frederick.

First act

Scheldt coast. The herald heralds the arrival of King Henry, who gathers troops throughout Germany. Frederick turns to the king and says that after the death of the Duke of Brabant, he took custody of the Duke's children - Elsa and Gottfried, who soon disappeared. Frederick accuses Elsa of killing her brother and himself makes claims to power, especially since his wife Ortrud comes from a family that once ruled in this area.

Elsa appears, they expect an excuse from her, but she behaves strangely and keeps dreaming about the knight who appeared to her in a dream. “God's court” is appointed. Elsa is confident that a knight sent by God will appear to protect her. The Herald asks if anyone wants to speak in Elsa's place at the trial. When there is no longer any hope left, a boat drawn by a swan appears on the river, and in it an unfamiliar knight (Lohengrin). He is ready to take Elsa's side and asks for her hand, on the condition that she never asks who he is and where he comes from. A duel takes place in which Lohengrin defeats Friedrich, but gives him life. General rejoicing.

Second act

Frederick mourns the loss of his honor, which doomed him to exile, and reproaches Ortrud for forcing him to falsely accuse Elsa, while Elsa is innocent - this was proven by God's court. Ortrud accuses him of cowardice and says that it was not God who was on Lohengrin’s side, but witchcraft, which will dissipate if he is deprived of even the slightest part of his body. We must convince Elsa to ask the hero about his origin, then he will lose his power, and Friedrich’s honor will be restored.

Elsa appears on the balcony, intoxicated with her happiness. Ortrud pretends to be innocent and wins the sympathy of Elsa, who introduces her to her retinue. Ortrud tries to sow doubts in the girl’s soul about her fiancé.

Morning. The herald announces the expulsion of Frederick and the wedding of Elsa and Lohengrin, who is to lead a military campaign the next day. Four nobles are unhappy that they will have to go on a campaign, and Frederick, who appears, manages to win them over to his side.

Elsa's procession approaches the cathedral. Suddenly, Ortrud blocks her passage and demands superiority on the grounds that Friedrich comes from a respected family, and Elsa does not even know who her fiancé is. After the appearance of the king and Lohengrin, Ortrud is forced to retreat. Then Telramund appears and manages to call the outraged people to attention. Frederick accuses Lohengrin of witchcraft, but the accusation is rejected. The procession enters the cathedral. Despite the restoration of order, doubt arises in Elsa's soul.

Third act

The wedding of Elsa and Lohengrin is celebrated magnificently. The choir glorifies the newlyweds. When the guests leave, Elsa expresses her doubts to Lohengrin. The latter's assurances of his high origin frighten her even more - she is afraid that one day he will leave her and return to his country. In the end, Elsa directly asks him the fateful question. At this moment, Friedrich sneaks up with his accomplices and attacks Lohengrin, but Lohengrin kills him.

Morning. In front of a large crowd of people, Lohengrin informs the king that he will not be able to lead the campaign. He is forced to tell about his origin - he is one of the Grail Knights. Because Elsa broke her promise and forced the Grail Knight to reveal his identity, he is forced to leave her. Lohengrin says that if he could stay at least a year, her brother would return to Elsa. A swan with a rook is approaching. Ortrud, confident of her victory, reports that this swan is Gottfried, whom she had enchanted. After Lohengrin's prayer, the swan takes on human form before the deadline. The Grail Knight retires. Elsa dies of grief.